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Hybrids: Crossing the Bridge to the Clouds

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written by Gwen Davis of Web Hosting Search

2011 showed us that the cloud is here to stay but for those who are cloud host skeptics there is a massive growth in hybrid cloud computing to help you test the waters. So what is hybrid cloud computing?

Hybrid clouds is a combination of private and public (or cloud) networking, in which information technology functions are split and shared between in-house and outsourced computers. In reality, almost everyone who uses the Internet can be said to be taking advantage of hybrid cloud computing at some level.

For instance, anyone who uses social media platforms, is outsourcing storage and organization of their data to the computers and data centers of the social media site, while using their own computers to store and edit their own documents and photos, even if they will eventually be uploaded to their social media platforms.

Setting aside that fact though, what Hybrids does the current market offer?

Enterprise Hybrid Cloud Computing

On an enterprise level, hybrid cloud computing usually means something very similar – use of a public outsourced cloud to provide computing power and functionality that are too expensive to develop in-house, or which by necessity must be shared, while storing sensitive data on its own computers and storage media.

Access to the cloud is controlled in-house via a virtual interface that allows rapid and easy access to the outsourced functionality, so that users are able to work from any remote location with a secure Internet connection.

Software as a Service and Hybrid Cloud Computing

An example of hybrid cloud computing is software-as-a-service (SaaS), where costly software is accessed on a shared server that is controlled by the software provider. SaaS clients pay only for the amount and type of access they need, and the software remains on the provider’s computers even if data which is processed by it is downloaded to the in-house computer or network storage device for security and future reference.

Even security solutions are being offered in a hybrid cloud format. The security program and threat databases stored on the public cloud are downloaded or otherwise deployed on private networks and computers which are subscribed to the security updates offered by these providers.

Hybrid Cloud Computing for Development

Often, a developer of sophisticated applications needs access to programs and other resources which are extremely expensive or otherwise hard to obtain. In addition, he needs a public environment where clients can easily and quickly access the applications which he develops for them.

Therefore, a hybrid cloud atmosphere, in which the basic tools are stored on his own computer or network along with unfinished work or work that does not need server access, whereas specialized resources which he needs are accessed via a public cloud, is ideal.

Then, once the applications are ready, a client can be given access to them on the cloud, especially if that client also does not have the resources necessary to run or test those applications.

Hybrid Cloud Computing for Web Hosting

A new concept which mirrors hybrid cloud computing is hybrid hosting. Hybrid hosting is when a dedicated server is partnered with access to cloud server hosting in order to create a managed server hosting package that maintains the advantages of a dedicated server while harnessing the power of the cloud.

For example, the dedicated server can store and serve the website under regular conditions, but in the event of traffic peaks that require additional disk space, memory or bandwidth, the cloud servers can provide the necessary resources on an ad hoc basis, and then cease to provide the extra resources when they are no longer needed.

Alternately, the cloud server can store backups and archives, leaving the main dedicated server free of any files that are not needed to run the site on a regular basis.

The Hybrid Choice: More About It and Why It Works for the Market

All in all, clear indicators have shown that hybrid cloud computing has the formidable presence of conquering the market where it is now becoming more and more common.

These indicators are summarized as follows:

1. It is a more practical model, considering how you can customize the resources between on-premise infrastructure, which typically becomes a white elephant for being unscalable, with public cloud environments that’s deployable. You simply place the applications and data on optimal platforms, then extend the analytical processing between them saving you from the tedious task of migration.
2. It showcases the best of both worlds. By playing on the strengths of two established platforms, dedicated of the past and cloudy of the future, hybrids present a good grasp of familiarity on what essentially should be kept local and innovation with what can be processed remotely.
3. Hybrid computing directly addresses the issues and concerns of the “Cloud Hosting Debate” by empowering the user with more security and control over the new evolution of cloud, drawing less resistance and a better utilization of what it is that the cloud can truly offer.

Source: cloudcomputingzone.com | 1 Jul 2011 | 5:19 pm